Hi all,
Just started yoga teacher training and it’s brought to my attention that I’m a “hyper over extender.” I’ve been warned that if continue to practice the asanas with hyper extension I’ll do serious damage to my body. However, I was given little instruction on how to fix it. Has anyone experienced this while instructing a student? Or better, in themselves? Any tips or on how to correct the habit?
Jessie
Where do you hyper-extend?
Elbows? Knees?
When I see that, I ask the student to bring a slight (“micro”) bend to that joint. Be vigilant that you’re not “locking” that joint.
My understanding that repeatedly hyper-extending the joints will cause strain to the ligaments and can cause arthritis down the road.
Some people hyper-extend in the back, but I don’t know if that pertains to you.
Yogadealer-
I know for sure I hyperextend the knees. I try to be aware of that and micro bend but in some poses, like triangle for example, it seems almost impossible to do. I’m not too sure about hyperextension in my shoulders and back, but I wouldn’t dismiss the possibility- I’ve heard the remark “wow you’re bendy” many of times (which makes me cringe, not proud). I never lock my elbows and try my very best not to lock my knees (not always successful). How could I tell if I am hyper extending in the shoulders and back?
Thanks so much for your response!
Jessie,
As yogadealer mentions, micro bends in knees and elbows helps keep the joint safe.
It will take constant effort on your part.
Curious though why whoever mentioned this didn’t give you a more thorough explanation, especially in light of teacher training. I would pursue this with them. Allow it to be a group learning experience.
Thanks lotusgirl! I agree, a little more detail and direction would have been helpful. I’ll definitely pursue this further in class- it’s something every trainee can benefit from learning about.
“Wow you’re bendy” can mean a lot of things.
Someone who hyperextends in the shoulders would look like they’re bringing the chest down toward the floor in adho mukha svanasana. The correction would be to bring the lower front ribs back in toward the body rather then thrusting them down toward the floor.
Hyper-mobility in the lumber spine will show up in your back-bending practice where most of the arching is concentrated in the low back rather than distributed throughout the spine (and you would go deeper than most people in back bending poses, although not safely). The correction for that would be to lengthen the tailbone, and engage the pelvic floor and other core muscles. We have a teacher at my studio who had hyper-mobility in her lower back and over-did it on backbends (a long time ago) and it caused permanent damage. Now she cannot backbend at all.
Hyper-mobile students need more muscular engagement to protect the joints from over-extension.
I totally encourage you to inquire more from the people running your teacher training program. When I took my YTT 7 years ago, I asked about hyper-extension in the joints, and I was told that it cuts off the flow of energy in the body. Turns out that may be true, but there are some significant physical ramifications as well.
Hi,
I see hyper extenders all the time and as a teacher, I really encourage the “micro-bend” as much as possible. In fact, at the beginning of each class when we are doing the cat/cow stretches during the warm up, I demonstrate a micro bend in the elbows for them and also use this opportunity to explain the correct weight distribution in the hands (on the inside rather than on the outer edge).
Most people find the micro bend hard as it requires more muscle power. Same with the legs in triangle pose. Instead of relying on your skeletal alignment, you have to engage your quadricep muslces in your leg to maintain that micro bend.
I struggled at first to hold all of my micro bends but after a few weeks it became the norm for me and now I would never go back.
It is better for you, really try hard to persevere with the micro bends, you will find it hard at first but i assure you it will get better with time.
Better to suffer now with a bit of muscle fatigue rather than hyper extending your joints and getting ligament damage.
Good luck and namaste. 
Sophienaz-
Thanks for the advice! I’ve started to really focus on micro bending during practice and I agree- what a difference! It feels as if I’m relearning many of the asanas. It totally changes my practice, and for the better. It’s a HUGE relief to hear micro bending gets easier over time because right now, it sure is a challenge.
I can’t thank you enough for the boost of confidence.
Peace.